The Reclusive life

In August of the first year of Yixi (405 AD), Tao Yuanming made his last official appointment as Peng Zeling. In November, Cheng's younger sister passed away in Wuchang. Tao Yuanming wrote a poem titled "Returning Home" and resigned from his official position, officially beginning his life of seclusion until the end of his life. At this time, Tao Yuanming's political attitude entered a clear period and his ideology also entered a mature period. Unlike his previous life of hard work, he now has consciousness: he does it this way and understands why he does it. His previous rural life seemed to be that of a small and medium-sized landlord, but now he has put in more labor, which is closer to the life of an ordinary farmer. During this period, he created many poems and essays reflecting rural life, such as five poems titled "Returning to the Garden and Living in the Field" and twelve poems titled "Miscellaneous Poems".

In the middle of June of the fourth year of the Yixi reign (408 AD), a fire broke out in Tao Yuanming's home, and his courtyard was completely destroyed, forcing him to move.

In the eleventh year of the Yixi reign (415 AD), the court issued an edict to appoint him as the Assistant Minister of Works, but Tao Yuanming declared himself ill and did not apply.

In the 14th year of the Yixi reign (418 AD), Wang Hong was the governor of Jiangzhou. He made friends with Tao Yuanming around this year or one or two years later. There were anecdotes about the two of them wearing leather shoes and delivering wine in white clothes.

In the first year of Yuanjia (424 AD), Yan Yanzhi became the Prefect of Shi'an and befriended Tao Yuanming. There was an anecdote about Yan Gong paying for wine.

In the fourth year of Yuanjia (427 AD), Tan Daoji heard of Tao Yuanming's name and went to visit him. He presented him with sorghum meat and advised him to become an official, but Tao Yuanming refused and did not accept the sorghum meat as a gift. In the same year, Tao Yuanming passed away in Xunyang. After his death, his friends posthumously named him "Jingjie" and later referred to him as "Tao Jingjie".